No Pak pilgrims for Ajmer Urs this year

Yash Goyal

Jaipur, March 20

Amid strain in diplomatic ties, no Pakistan delegation is arriving this year to attend the 806th Khawaja Moinudeen Chishti Dargarh Urs in Ajmer.

“There is no information nor is there any correspondence from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the arrival of pilgrims from Pakistan,” said Additional District Magistrate Ajmer city Arvind Kumar Sengwa on Tuesday.

“The preparation, security arrangements, board and lodging, and local transportation for foreign pilgrims, especially those from Pakistan, are done well in advance after receiving information from the MEA,” ADM said. Last year, about 400 Pakistan pilgrims had attended the annual Urs, he said.

Anjum Sadar secretary Sayed Wahid Hussain Angarashah said: “The relations between the two nations may be the reason…. There was a time during 1991-97 when no official delegation from Pakistan visited the Urs... and this is the third time in recent years when pilgrims are not visiting.” There have been reports of denial of visas to pilgrims from the neighbouring country due to non-congenial atmosphere on the border. So far, 300 buses packed with pilgrims from across the country have arrived at the dargah.

Urs, which began on Monday, will draw lakhs of pilgrims till March 29 for which the district administration has made elaborate security arrangements. The railways is running special trains, and the state roadways is plying special buses from Ajmer and other destinations.